


the nearness of you

by rarepairenabler



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Online Dating, Serenading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-22 00:36:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9574121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarepairenabler/pseuds/rarepairenabler
Summary: “What is it?”“Nothing, I just.” Kai smiles and nuzzles his nose against Reon’s. “Didn’t expect you to be sotallin person. I also wasn’t expecting—” He lifts one hand to prod his fingers against the hard muscle of Reon’s bicep.“You weren’t expecting me to have arms?" Reon laughs. "I’m pretty sure I had arms in at least a few of the pictures I sent you.”





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ohirareon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohirareon/gifts).



> okay likely these two have met at nationals but, yknow
> 
> anyways this is dedicated to megan, the light of life. she got me invested in this adorable ship

_This is it_ , Reon thinks as the rest of his teammates start packing up after practice. _Today’s the day_. He’s lost in thought, and he doesn’t even notice that his cheeks straining from unconsciously smiling so much until Tendou points out his shoelaces are undone.

“You’ve been awfully distracted today, Benkei,” Tendou singsongs, large eyes narrowed.

Reon shrugs. “Have I?” he asks innocently.

Tendou’s lips purse.

“What’s Tsutomu doing over there?” Reon nods over to where Goshiki’s stretching. The younger boy’s bushy brows are drawn together in determination, his lower lip is jutting out, and sweat is breaking out across his forehead. Intensity rolls off of him in waves.

Tendou snorts and stretches his arms above his head. “Wakatoshi said it’s important to cool down after a tough set, and now Tsutomu’s turning ‘relaxing’ into a competition.”

Of course.

Reon nods. After three years of being on this team, nothing surprises him anymore. He looks on in concern when Goshiki stretches forward and does the splits. “Oh boy. He’s pushing himself too hard again. He’s going to get hurt.”

Tendou makes a noise of agreement. He gives Reon a side-glance. “You trying to change the subject?”

“No,” Reon answers, too fast.

“Wakatoshiiiii, Oohira’s acting suspicious!” Tendou complains.

Ushijima glances up at them in question.

“What’s suspicious about looking out for my underclassman?” counters Reon.

Tendou tuts. He runs his fingers through his hair, half distracted when Goshiki picks up a nearby volleyball and sends it whirling across the gym. So much for relaxing. “I can tell you’re hiding something,” he presses.

“If you say so.”

Reon _is_ hiding something, though. It’s not that he’s ashamed of Kai – the complete opposite, actually. It’s just that this thing they have between them is like a seed that’s still growing, still tentatively blooming into something exhilarating. Reon’s not ready to share the news with his friends just yet, in fear he might mess things up before it ever has the chance to start. 

He’s not like Tendou, who will unabashedly broadcast the details of his love life with everyone within hearing distance. Or like Semi and Shirabu who apparently have no qualms with hooking up in the equipment room and the storage shed and the team’s locker room, if rumors and Goshiki’s screech upon opening the equipment room door that one time are to be believed.

Reon’s phone vibrates and he digs out of his pocket.

**[From Kai]:** Just got out of practice

Reon texts back, “You too?”

**[From Kai]:** yep. I’ll see you in a few hours! :)

**[From Kai]:** I’ll be the one in red

Reon hooks his gym bag over his shoulder, his stomach fluttering when he answers, _And I’ll be the one wearing the fanny pack._

When he glances up again, he catches Tendou watching him but this time he doesn’t even bother to conceal his grin.

~*~

Reon stares out the window of the train. Tity rolls by in a blur of tall trees and steel tracks, and the floor rattles beneath his feet. The sun’s already started to sink again, entire sky cloaked in red.

Reon takes a picture on his phone and sends it to Kai. As he waits for Kai’s reply, he puts on his headphones and listens to playlist he and Kai made together a few weeks ago.

It reminds him of how they first met.

Surprisingly, there’s not a lot of people their age who blog about jazz and classical music. Reon had found Kai’s tumblr on a whim when searching for new music, and he’d gone through every playlist the other boy had created. It was like finding a musical soulmate, a giddiness rising inside him with every track he listened to.

Reon even watched the beginners piano lessons Kai had posted on his blog. Because life had it out for him, it wasn’t enough that Kai have amazing music taste, he had to be _ridiculously_ handsome too. In the videos, when Kai played, he’d close his eyes, his lashes long and dark against his brown skin. His lips would tug into a slightest of smiles, his face relaxing completely.

It took Reon a whole week to build up the courage to send him a message.

At one point, he’d nearly broken down and asked Ushijima what to say, until he’d remembered that Ushijima’s expertise lies…elsewhere.

He’s not sure that he believes in fate, but it was definitely fortunate that Kai lived in Japan too, and that he shared Reon’s love of volleyball.

Reon looks down when his phone vibrates in his lap. When he opens the message, he sees it’s a picture of Kai waiting for him at the train stop, his cheeks flushed, eyes crinkled in a smile. He feels his ears burn as he saves the photo to his phone. _He’s too beautiful_ , Reon thinks in distress.

He tries to focus on the book he’d brought with him, and fails. Every time he tries to get through a page, his thoughts keep drifting to the smooth tenor of Kai’s voice, the bright sound of his laugh. The three-hour train ride passes excruciatingly slow.

The moment Reon gets off the platform, he hears someone call for him. He recognizes the voice instantly. Kai Nobuyuki. Breath catching in his throat, Reon blindly stumbles through the crowd in search of him. Finally, he spots Kai standing by a post.

He’s wearing the red hoodie, just as he said he would be. 

Reon feels his stomach summersault with the realization that Kai’s even more handsome in person. 

Kai’s chocolate brown eyes widen when their gazes meet. “Oohira, you came!”

Reon raises a brow at him. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“Maybe,” Kai admits, laughing self-consciously. “Maybe I thought this whole thing was a little too good to be true.”

_You’re_ too good to be true, Reon thinks.

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” he says, sincerely. It’s been months now of sending asks back and forth, of late night skype calls, of sharing their music, of _falling for each other_. It’s all brought them to this moment.

Kai squints at this. “Not even for a new pair of birkenstocks?”

Reon bites back a smile as he pretends to consider it. “No, not even then.”

“Wow,” Kai laughs warmly, oblivious to the way Reon melts at the sound. “You must really like me.”

“I do,” Reon agrees easily.

He casts Kai a worried glance when he sees the other boy shiver. Unlike him, Kai’s only wearing a hoodie rather a heavy jacket, and he doesn’t have any gloves either. “Aren’t you cold?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, Benkei.” Kai grins and yanks on the flaps of Reon’s winter hat, tugging the hat down past Reon’s eyes as he pecks him on the cheek.

Reon blushes and pulls his hat back up. “I told you, that nickname is inaccurate.”

“I don’t know, I think it s-suits you,” Kai protests, stuttering from the cold. His face turns as red as Reon’s when Reon leans against him and links his fingers together.

“Where to?” Reon asks.

“My place,” Kai decides. He squeezes Reon’s gently. “It’s too cold outside.”

“You wouldn’t be cold if you’d worn a jacket.”

Kai rolls his eyes at him.

~*~

“Your mother’s nice,” Reon says as he follows Kai into his room.

Kai closes the door behind him. “She likes you. When you left the room to wash your hands she said you’re a _lovely_ young man and that I should have you over more often.”

“I’d like that, too,” Reon replies, ducking his head at the praise.

“Yeah,” Kai agrees. He gives Reon a fond look. “Y’know, I was thinking. Tomorrow, before you go home, you could come with me to practice and meet the team.”

Reon blinks in surprise. “Your coach wouldn’t mind?”

“I don’t think so,” answers Kai. “He’s not that strict, and I could maybe convince him to let you join in. It’d be a good opportunity to test our team against a formidable rival.”

“I’m not—” Kai gives him a look. “It’s the team that’s strong,” Reon insists.

“You’re on the team, though, aren’t you? You’re a starter.”

“Well…yes.”

“Then you must be strong, too.” He says it with an easy sort of confidence. Reon wonders if _he’ll_ ever be that sure of his abilities. The reasoning’s a little flawed, but he decides not to argue.

Instead, he lets Kai guide him to the piano bench that’s in the corner of his room. Reon glances around. Kai’s room is just as organized as his. The walls are painted a vibrant shade of orange, a color that’s as sunny as Kai himself. There are few sheets of piano music on his desk, tucked beneath a math textbook. Three framed vinyls hang above his neatly bed. Reon almost wants to ask if Kai always keeps his room this tidy or if he’d cleaned it, just for him.

“The team wants to meet you,” Kai admits as he takes a seat down next to Reon. “Kuroo especially. None of them know how to mind their own business; they’re all curious about my _mysterious_ boyfriend.”

Reon nearly snorts at the idea of himself as mysterious.

_Wait_. His mind quickly replays Kai’s words. “ _Boyfriend?_ ”

“Oh.” Kai’s eyes widen, his mouth falling open as he stares. “I um. I thought…?”

Reon makes a frustrated sound. Breathlessly, he explains, “Wait, you thought right it’s just—you hadn’t said anything, so I wasn’t sure if that’s what you wanted?”

Kai exhales in relief.

“Here, let’s try again,” Kai suggests, his voice shaky as he lays a hand on Reon’s thigh. His brown eyes meet Reon’s. “Oohira Reon, I’d like to be your boyfriend.”

The words themselves feel impossible. Reon’s heart feels like a heavy fist beating against the cage of his ribs as he nods and leans in to press their lips together. He feels it as Kai’s lips curve into a smile, the other boy’s fingers twining in the short curls of Reon’s hair. It’s a perfect kiss, by every measure – Kai’s mouth is soft yet firm against his own, coaxing a quiet groan when Kai traces his tongue over the seam of Reon’s lips. They’re both a little clumsy, but Kai doesn’t seem to mind as he smiles into the kiss, pressing their lips together without any sort of intent beyond what they’re already doing. Their noses bump accidentally and they both laugh.

“Gosh,” breathes Reon.

“This is nice,” Kai pants, his finger tracing along the curve of Reon’s jaw. “Being able to kiss you, I mean.”

Reon kisses him in agreement. “I’m glad you didn’t turn out to be an eighty-year-old man. That would have been disappointing.” He says it with all the seriousness he can muster.

Kai snickers. “How would I have faked our video calls?”

Reon shrugs and kisses him again, because he can.

“Oohira?”

“Mmm.”

“I actually wanted to show you something,” Kai says and there’s something about the sheepish tone of his voice and the color arched across his cheeks that makes Reon immediately curious. “I’ve been working on a new song.”

“Yeah?”

“For you,” Kai clarifies. “It was one of the first songs you sent me. You said it was one of your favorites.”

He swings around to face the piano in front of them. He steels himself with a quiet breath, wriggling his fingers first before pressing them to the keys. He starts to sing, his voice smooth as honey, his eyes never leaving Reon’s face as he plays.

Reon recognizes it by the very first note.

“Fly me to the moon,” Kai croons, eyes glimmering. “Let me play among the stars.”

_This is really happening,_ Reon thinks, heart in his throat as he listens to Kai play. _I’m the luckiest person in Japan. No, in the world._

Kai’s fingers flutter across the keyboard, his shoulders swaying to the rhythm, lips only inches away from Reon’s.

“So, what did you think?” Kai asks, and it’s only then that Reon realizes that he’d stopped playing.

_How long have I been staring?_

“It still needs a little work,” continues Kai. He rubs at his cheek. “Some parts I don’t quite have down yet, but…”

Reon cups Kai’s face in his hands and kisses him, hard.

“You’re too hard on yourself. I think it’s _perfect_ ,” Reon tells him.

Kai leans his face against Reon’s palm, his face bright with happiness. “You think so?”

“I do.” He strokes his callused fingers down the slope of Kai’s cheek and bows his forehead against Kai’s. “Thank you. For the song.”

“You’re welcome.” Kai bites his lip, flush deepening when Reon ducks his head down to kiss his neck.

Reon glances up at him and murmurs, “What is it?”

“Nothing, I just.” Kai smiles and nuzzles his nose against Reon’s. “Didn’t expect you to be so _tall_ in person. I also wasn’t expecting—” He lifts one hand to prod his fingers against the hard muscle of Reon’s bicep.

“You weren’t expecting me to have arms? I’m pretty sure I had arms in at least a few of the pictures I sent you.”

“You know what I mean, Oohira.”

Reon sighs in content. He loves the way his name rolls off Kai’s tongue, even if he’s being chastened.

“So what do now?” Kai asks, pressing a kiss to Reon’s freckles.

“Watch a movie?”

Kai leans his cheek against Reon’s shoulder. “You’re just going to fall asleep, like last time,” he argues.

“I won’t this time,” Reon protests.

With an amused smile, Kai gives in.

 

An hour into the movie, Reon feels the exhaustion set in. He and Kai are huddled beneath the blankets, Kai having made a place for him between the splay of legs. Reon would have no issue with staying like this forever, his head cushioned on his boyfriend’s chest, two arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders, only he can hardly keep his eyes open anymore.

“You’re tired,” Kai says, tone as patient as ever. He combs his fingers through Reon’s hair, fingers stroking along the shaved sides. “You had a long day. Go to sleep.”

“I’m not ready yet.”

“I won’t hold it against you,” Kai reassures him.

With a frown, Reon lets his eyes flutter shut. “Tell me about your teammates.”

“My teammates?”

“I like hearing you talk about volleyball,” Reon explains. “Kuroo…that’s your captain, right? The one with the weird hair.”

He feels Kai nod. “He’s a bit… _out there_. But if you can handle someone like Tendou, I don’t think Kuroo’s antics will faze you. Yaku’s the other third year on my team. He and Yaku spent most of first year fighting, but they’re good friends now.”

“Kai.” Reon twists his head, his eyes meeting Kai’s over his shoulder. “You said earlier that you’d told your teammates about me. What did you tell them?”

Kai’s expression turns thoughtful. “I told them that you’re funny.” He tucks his face against Reon’s bare shoulder. “And talented.” He trails kisses from Reon’s neck to the dip of his collar, Kai’s breath warm and ticklish against Reon’s skin. “And every time I get a text from you I feel like my heart’s going to explode.”

“You told them all that?” Reon asks, a little awed.

Kai laughs. “Not the last part - didn’t have to.” He presses a final kiss to the constellation of freckles on Reon’s shoulders. “If you don’t sleep, you’re going to have a hard time waking up tomorrow to meet them.”

“Sing me to sleep?”

Kai looks down at him in surprise. “You’d want me to?”

Reon nods and Kai obliges him. A soft smile flits across Reon’s lips as he listens. Finally, he lets exhaustion overtake him, Kai’s low, soothing voice following him into his dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://tobioslilgiant.tumblr.com/) l [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ambyguity_)
> 
>  [based on this art](https://ohirareon.tumblr.com/post/156233174974/went-through-my-twitter-media-again-and-compiled)
> 
>  [and this ](https://ohirareon.tumblr.com/post/156736261014/1-on-remembering-kai-nobuyuki-2-insomnia)
> 
>  [and this](https://ohirareon.tumblr.com/post/156695117689/big-win-for-the-otp)
> 
>  [and this](https://ohirareon.tumblr.com/post/156617222879/decided-to-crack-down-and-figure-out-how-to-draw%22)
> 
> *thank you becky for edited this for me!


End file.
